The Vigil at Camp Casey

t r u t h o u t | One Mother's Stand
By Scott Galindez

The vigil at Camp Casey was respectful and emotional.

Iraq Veteran Aidan Delgado opened the vigil with a heartfelt message: "In victory or defeat the price is the same... A price that can not be measured in dollars or votes but can only be measured in pain... We must make sure it is never paid again until all other means have failed." In the foreground as Aidan spoke was a flag-draped coffin. On the left side of the coffin, Iraq Veteran Hart Viges stood at attention. On the right side, Charlie Anderson in full uniform did the same.

Iraq Veteran Charlie Anderson then read a poem about his fallen comrades saying that he "sees their faces at least once a day, smiling, laughing, alive."

Cindy then lit the candles in front of some of the crosses, she lit the one in front of Evan Ashcroft's, Mike Mitchell's, and Casey's along with a few others. Cindy was escorted by Hart Viges, who she said she tried to imagine as being Casey.

The names of the soldiers who have died since Camp Casey was started were read including Rusty, who was 21 and was a pen pal of a volunteer at Camp Casey. People were then allowed to come and call out a name of someone they knew that died in Iraq. While the names were being read, people lay roses on the flag-draped coffin.

Cindy then gave a tearful plea to make sure that the rest of the troops come home to cheerful greetings at the airport. She then read the poem written by her daughter: